Thursday, April 01, 2010

Hi guys! Let me tell you something about myself: I love baseball, and I love the Dodgers. Which is why this Blue Babes gig is perfect for me!

Like a lot of you, I grew up with BA and ERA as your basic measurements of baseball success. But after reading "Moneyball" (BTW, can't wait for the movie version - Brad Pitt as Billy Beane? OMG!) I started to try to expand my statistical horizons. OBP and OPS were natural next steps - I mean, how many times have we heard a walk's as good as a hit? I mean, it's not always true, but I also don't believe in all this "clogging the bases" BS.

Anyway, a girl doesn't always have the time to browse B-R all day (I wish!), so naturally I was thrilled when adjusted stats hit the scene. OPS+ now makes a lot more sense for historical comparisons (Piazza vs. Bench? Please!) I'm also a fan of Mr. Tango's wOBA...BABIP also rocks, as it's one of the few stats that works for batters and pitchers (does it swing both ways? lol j/k!)

Pitching-wise, I still think ERA, WHIP and K/9 are a good place to start. But wins? No thank you. Instead, I've become intrigued by FIP (and it's adorable little cousin, x-FIP), although I haven't quite got a handle on relating them back to those more traditional measurements. Same with DIPS. Oh well, practice makes perfect - just like in dancing!

I have to admit, I get a little lost when it comes to defensive metrics. Kinda like when I can't decide between two different pairs of strappy black heels. Know the feeling guys? hahaha. UZR is still in its infancy, and far as I know we don't have complete enough records for historical comparisons, so how useful is it really? Maybe FRAA?

Anyway, all this talk has put this girl in the mood to dig around BP and Fangraphs. See ya there!